For the first time in Olympic history someone has made a countdown event. On the day that marked the Olympics less than a year bombastic television, radio and newspapers have written or proclaimed thousands of words about what China has done to prepare for these Games. The cheerful attitude, as well as the constant repetition of the key concept that people should approach the big day is perfectly exemplified by this official video .

The same day, but I doubt that you read something , a small group of Canadians decided to show their ignorance of the situation in Tibet (sarcastically) exposing a giant "F ree T Ibet" in English and Chinese on the Great Wall. Repatriated after a night of interrogation.

The same day, Reporters Without Borders has set up a test in Beijing ( English | Italian ) made ​​a press conference on the violation of individual freedoms in China, and then they come out in front of the building that houses the Organizing Committee of Beijing Olympics (BOCOG) carrying signs with handcuffs instead of the Olympic rings. Detained for a few hours, were expelled the next day.

Now, although it is obvious that these are not merely exploit foreigners who speak to anyone, it is also crystal clear that those who organized these events not involving Chinese citizens, perhaps because they were already in the country, and probably would not be expelled but jailed for a year and reeducated. However, although no protests for trifles such as human rights, there are some people who look to the point, for example, the forced relocation of people who live near areas affected Olympic urban development. Meanwhile, across the Sea of China, the Taipei Times comes out with this article , just to add some 'spice to the relationship between the brothers separated. Always the same day, on the other side of Tibet, in India , ten thousand Tibetans gather in protest of human rights.

From the environmental side, the meteorological office sends rain check regularly to test the effectiveness of rainfall in eliminating pollution. Anyway, someone begins to wonder whether the Chinese authorities will be able to control everything . For the record, the pollution in Beijing is usually more than double (and sometimes three times, it happens ten times) of our highest alert level. Number plate, new metro lines, new buses. They are doing something, even though many believe it is too late and you will go to emergency measures rather than structural.

These are the facts (as reported by hostile Western media, of course), I personally believe that there will be many such events during the Olympics, and at the same time that the Chinese will find a way to resolve them without too much fuss (the hawks do not expect reporters jailed so). I also believe that the Olympics that will be topped off with this news, daily updates and pollution, as I am convinced that here in China, the Chinese will be marginally affected by this. The game is never achieve the critical mass of protest, and in a country with a billion and half people the number is considerable. Certainly, the 2008 Olympics will be remembered for years to come, how it is early to tell. Sure, it would be nice to the Chinese that despite years of construction ( acquatics center | bird 's nest | CCTV tower to name a few), make-up and logistical preparations pass into second place to the athletes who arrive a day before the race to do not breathe too much air, or notes for the umpteenth press conference to protest agency al'ultima next gold medal.

I remember when they organized the conference for AIESEC. All behind the logistics, coffee breaks, the latest gadget, sponsorship of bottles. Of course, all these things are a good infrastructure, but it's fun, is the event, is the attitude of the people you meet that makes the difference. The Olympics are an AIESEC conference, but if even a small part of the same dynamics worked, I would worry me a Chinese.

Yesterday my favorite cashier gave the "resignation". To be precise, has given notice of Standard here for non-management workers. His last work day will be next Friday, so only a week. Here in Shanghai (and China in general) works like this: iperflessibile market, welfare (low pensions and health coverage) only for local (50% of wages paid by the employer for whom, for example, has a Hukou of Shanghai). I speak with Pezzotta (CISL, yes I know there's another one ... but I liked him) would tell me the protection of workers, social welfare, pensions that maintain the same lifestyle, the rights of the assumptions and duties of companies and the state. I would say that he is right, that I agree, and at the same time so that you can not compete with countries with labor markets more efficient (and not talking about China, but most of the industrial powers) and that these offer more job opportunities (the mythical job) and rewards the best, proving to be worth more to push your company to retain them and reward them for other companies to look to hire them.
Yes, the system tends to efficiency on people without training and experience, according to the logic of the market by lowering the minimum wage. Yes, I think talking about China these are really low. At the same time as I can tell you that Italy should not compete on labor costs, I would not even give up to compete for the resources to reward, ocn compreomessi the usual downward. But away with collective bargaining (I tried to explain the concept to several of my friends do not italic, and when I did, I saw faces increudule). And so with all rights and obligations of the payer, on the practical impossibility of giving the heave-ho too many inefficient system toxins. Away with the too many lazy government that suppress efficient ones that are there but are not rewarded.
I do not think China has a perfect labor market, believe should be balanced, enhanced to provide some additional guarantee (the process of reforming the hukou anyway). But I also believe that is competitive and challenging, with employer and employee that typically have a relationship of mutual and voluntary cooperation, without which plays both know they can find in the same market opportunities or other resources, and where this mechanism is revealed in generally virtuous. Nobody here wants to see or see your place like a job for life. The employer may assume without fear expect no return (if not expensive, hairy, long years), then the employee can accept change, to look around, to understand not to stop and flatten.
From here, I smile sadly reading here and there of "precarious", new generations with no certain future and all that. Philosophy seems of another era: the world is "precarious". Do not think that living in a bath of gold coins and do not understand certain problems and difficulties of many before a change of work culture, because of propaganda, sacrosanct corrections that do not arrive and ultimately hopes or dreams that come true. I love MaxCosmico ( enjoy the video on Youtube ) and I think that much of the text is phenomenal and also dedicated to a managerial culture of the "Paron", the baron, who perhaps does not leave room for someone who is guilty of inexperience, but fresh ideas and help them would have to sell ... But we remain in an artificial oasis happy until it collapses, or we decide to play the cards one by one we lose in time lost?
However, in a week we can find another person, and my cashier, also through experience with us, happy start another job with the 'more than 80% of salary. What unjust world.

Being single, relatively straightforward and not particularly involved in an intense social life (translation: do not go out often) offers a wonderful opportunity to think, that the risk of thinking too much, depending on interpretations. Not enough, I'll go first in Tibet, and then I let myself be seduced by a brick yet another DVD (mildly roommate every time I watch a DVD), this time on a great Ghandi. If, then, I delight in meditation on the great questions of man, why do not you smaronare well (here, again nothing published on the Sun)?
I thought, maybe I'm looking for perfection? Because as Don Claudio taught me years ago, while housed in his house a horde of college, perfection is not of this world, let alone a human being. Incidentally, those who usually seems free from the dark side is often the one who designed the Death Star (and for those who have never seen Star Wars, get a culture). A relationship expert like my friend S. I teach among other things, that the perfection tired, while A. I indicates the way in the first person is tired of cliches and he knows how to lovingly ripped off. E'solo that sometimes I come across people like alternatives that I wonder who or what the hell the end is perfection.
One answer given when I thought essermela Case for Blacks still singing from Fiorello, centering everything on myself instead of a prime objective and abstract: What is perfection for me? Problem is that subjectivity does not always solve, because when you think you already know the answer other than the way you were when you started chiedertela, maybe then that quality, experience, did not matter that much, maybe even that flaw was so important . But eventually mature, and like it or not you slow down, and slowly narrowing that time frame. In fact, I would not say you mature, you're just lazy.
Thus, an idea of ​​what I seek is increasingly blurred. Finding it is another matter altogether. One thing is certain, whatever does not find the front of this laptop, too bumpy. Then get up the thoughtful members of this chair and I go out, that no matter how busy I have no social life, and that perfection is not what I folgorasse tonight, a few laughs and a Black Russian raise always a busy week.